Self Portrait Tuesday

Old friends, new friends.

This is not the best picture of Gretta, but it is the only (?) picture I can find of my newest bestest friend Laura. And it's not even a good one of her! I guess I'll have to do some serious picture taking at the pool this summer. Laura and I have lived by each other for nearly 5 years now. We have been friends for 3 of those years. I'm not sure why we weren't friends before that, but it doesn't really matter. I first met laura at the pool, and then we were made visiting teaching partners shortly thereafter. But we really didn't become fast friends until one fateful weekend in July of '05. We decided to take the trailer and head to Aspen for a long weekend to watch Laura's husband Rob race his mountain bike. We had a series of weird events happen on that trip. It started with running out of fuel on I-70 exactly half way between Green River Utah, and Fruita Colorado. At 3:00 AM. That was one expensive tank of fuel. We had to wait on the side of the road for the truck to bring us the diesel, and we sat on lawn chairs under the full moon and chatted. On the side of the freeway. What a sight we were. Then later that weekend Laura and I decided to hit the spa. Turns out they had some freaky "vapor caves" under the spa which supposedly released toxins from your skin with their natural healing properties. HA! They were like sweaty mine shafts that smelled like rotten eggs! It was a total Ghetto spa. But we still had fun. Then Rob rubbed Ben-Gay on his boy parts, crashed and beat up his shoulder, and we drove home in a hurricane! It was good times. Laura is a great friend. She brought me treats when I was put on bed rest. She shares her trash mags with me and makes awesome food. She emails me everyday, just to say "hi", and some how she just knows that good food, sun, and a good magazine make my day! She's the best!

Sean and I go way back. Way, way back. Back all the way to Kindergarten. And maybe more, but I don't recall. So that definitely qualifies him as my oldest friend. And my dearest, of course. I realize that just "knowing" someone for years doesn't automatically qualify them as a friend, but the thing about Sean and I is that we have been friends this entire time. We have always had a special connection, even in the early days. Who would have ever thought that after years of saying he was "just Sean", we would end up falling in love. Insert "awwww" here. Not that our love and friendship hasn't been without its ups and downs, but alas, love is a turbulent ride. All these years we have sworn that it is our friendship roots that keep us together and also gives us the silly humor we share.

Swedish Meatballs and Baby food!

I recently received the mailer for our new Ikea that will be opening in 2 days. I'm an Ikea virgin, never been there, never ordered anything, I don't think I've even sat my butt in an Ikea chair. But after reading through the mailer and seeing that they serve Swedish Meatballs and baby food at their cafeteria, I was quite excited. More for the meatballs than the baby food, but I'm sure Gretta will get excited about that in a few months from now. I also found a nice bookcase and desk that will compliment my home nicely. So be prepared for some serious home updating pictures to follow.

I'm looking forward to seeing what all the fuss is about. I can only hope it will live up to my expectations. I'm sure it will.

edit: I braved the crowds of people on Wednesday, May 23, for the opening day of Ikea. It was all I could have ever wanted. For those of you familiar with the area, the roads getting to Ikea way were all closed, save one, which was being used only for one way traffic to the store. The traffic was backed up from Bangerter Highway and 200 West, around the boat shop, and through a field. And despite being so busy, they kept traffic moving steadily, and parking was very organized. I actually got a front row spot! Inside was a different story. So many people. I didn't buy anything. With 2 kids, and small cart, and lots of stuff I wanted, there was no way I could have carried it all. Besides, I want to go back with Sean so he can partake of the Ikea paradise.

The case of the missing popsicle

We're having a crisis right now. I let Maggie enjoy the last orange dreamsicle, and it seems to have disappeared. I can't find any evidence of it. No stick, no orange drippings, not even an orange mustache on the little devil herself.

Where could it be?

And on a side note, we will no longer by buying orange dreamsicles.





Edit: Thanks to Michelle for asking about the Popsicle. The latest update is I never did find any evidence of the popsicle. I never found an orange puddle, an orange stick, or even an orange mustache on the dog. I guess Maggie ate it, stick and all.

I am a Daffodil What Flower Are You?

It's bananas, B A N A N A S.

I made banana bread yesterday. Let's just call it banana brick. The ends turned out nice, but it is all soggy in the middle. Even after an hour of cooking and the top getting almost burned. I'm not a baker. I know this, but I still try.


And on a side note, where does all the brown stuff come from inside the banana bread? You know, the little lines of black? I always thought people put a special ingredient in there to make it do that, but I only used bananas, butter, flour, sugar, egg, and baking soda. What makes it do that?

Playground Politics

This last Friday Emma tried out for her school talent show assembly. She was so excited to do it, and even though we only had 2 days notice to practice, we threw together a song from Toy Story 2 for her to sing. She has a beautiful voice, and gets lots of practice singing Primary songs every night in bed. But you can't sing Primary songs at school.


We waited patiently for her turn, clapping after each and every child played their instruments or sang their songs. One child in particular even played a song with one finger, one note at a time. There were also 2 guitar players, and they were pretty good.


Finally, it was Emma's turn. She was nervous, and so was I frankly. I knew she would do well, but it's a very scary thing for a second grader to get up in front of her peers and sing. I started playing, and she came in right on cue. Every note perfect. She even held the last notes like we had practiced. Perfect. I was so proud of her.


Monday they announce the finalists for the assembly. Guitar players, check. Karate kid, check. Girl that played the piano with one finger and one note at a time, check. Emma the singing wonder kid, nope.


What? You ask? Let's just say I'm pretty sure that if I was at the school all day everyday like one finger piano playing girl's mom, Emma would be in the assembly. Why do they have to crush the dreams of second graders? Why can't there be a class talent show so all the kids can do what they wish? And why is it that I know life is full of disappointment, but I feel like I want to shelter my kids from that as long as possible?


I used this as an opportunity for growth, stating such obvious facts as "you have talents that can't always be shown in a talent show", and "I know you are more talented than all of those kids put together". And yet she still cried. And I felt like crying with her. I feel guilty for not being more involved in her classroom, knowing if I was, she wouldn't be dealing with this. I feel guilty for feeling guilty about that, knowing that I don't want to be part of the politics of second grade. But what's a mother to do? Do I call the teacher and ask why? Do I just let it go and forget the heartache I saw on Emma's face that day? Do I enroll her in piano lessons so she will learn how to play the piano with one finger, one note at a time?


I've always said parenting gets harder as kids get older. Not the kind of parenting where you're up all night, or not sure which shape of binkie to buy. But the kind of parenting where you have to pray constantly for guidance and help. And now I know I have entered that realm of parenting. I pray everyday for the safety and well-being of my kids. And now I pray that some how they can overcome the challenges of life and use those challenges to make them better people. It is what we all have dealt with, but I was just hoping I could put it off a little longer. At least until third grade.

Self Portrait Tuesday

Wow, Tuesday already. This is shaping up to be a good week. This weeks challenge was for Mother's Day. Pay a tribute to your mom in a special way by showing what she has taught you throughout the years.

This is what my mom has taught me. The power of a good family. She has done so much to keep us all together. She has us all (count them, 6 grandkids, sometimes 6 second cousins, and 3 of us kids plus our spouses, totaling 18!) over to her house every Sunday evening and happily makes brownies, cakes or whatever to keep up happy. We have great conversation knowing that we can say whatever is on our minds without being judged. We celebrate our birthdays, any holiday, and she cooks us turkey dinner for Conference Sundays. We do everything together, thanks to her. When we think of going to dinner, on vacation, or just hanging out at the pool, our family automatically comes to mind. I think part of this unity comes from the fact that my mom has worked with (for?) my dad for the last 38 or so years. Everyday. All day. And they are still married. From this she has taught us all patience, and long suffering. ;)

So thanks, Mom. Because of you we will always be friends. We would be even if we weren't family. You've taught me well. I hope I can teach my kids the lessons you've taught me and in such a good manner.

Mother's Day

After a particularly upsetting Mother's Day, (details to follow), I started thinking about what I wish for my kids. Here's what I came up with:

To be good people.
To be sincere.
To have a good sense of worth.
To know they can rely on their family.
To be independent.
To be courageous.
To be content.
To be achievers.
To be quiet when necessary.
To have a wicked sense of humor.
To love.
To be loved.
To grow old.
To stay young.
To make good decisions.
To stay true to who they are.

I know there are a lot of contradictions there, but isn't that what life pretty much is? Seeing the full circle of family makes me realize I only have a short time to mold and shape my kids into the adults they will become. I think all I can do is tell them and show them how much they are loved, and hope and pray that they stay true to the Gospel and to what they believe inside.

You tell 'em, Oprah!

My super sweet friend Brittany,
is so like Oprah. 'Cept, she's not black. Or fat. Or a talk show host.

But she likes to ask questions. And these are the 4 she chose for me.

1. If you could choose Sean's next wife for him, whom would you choose?
I think I would have to choose someone cute and smart, and rich. So basically me, sans the rich and smart part. If I had to put a name on someone, I would say Jenny McCarthy. I think she is so cute. And she has a pretty perverted sense of humor, so her and Sean would get along just fine.

2. Who will play Keli in the Keli movie?

Pamela Anderson, who else?

3. Would you rather tongue kiss your father-in-law or lick a toilet bowl? (does Charlie read your blog??)

Have you met my father in law?


4. Besides life's necessities, what do you spend the most money on?

Ha ha ha, lotions and potions. And scrapbooking crap. I likey me paper.

5. What accomplishment are you most proud of?

Of course, my 3 beautiful girls. They are so sweet and loving, and are very independent, which I love. I'm also proud of my marriage. We've worked hard for a lot of years to get this far, and It's nice to have some one who sticks with me through all the yucky stuff!

Close up

Well, here it is. This is not my ring, but the ring of someone I love dearly. My sister Meg got engaged last night! It's about time!!! We love Ty, and have a certain fondness for him since they were set up with help of some good friends of ours, and a little help from circumstance.


We met Ty at a pool party for the neighborhood. He is friends with our good friends Rob and Laura. Meg came to the party too, but had a boyfriend at the time. She and I stood outside the pool late talking girl stuff when Ty drove by to go home. She remarked about how fun he was and that he was her type. It was then I knew there was something there. Fast forward a month or so. Meg and said boyfriend were on the outs, and we had a trip planned to Brian Head to see Ty and Rob race mountain bikes. Somehow we talked Meg into coming, and we took her road bike as collateral. I knew if her bike was there, she would surely follow. Ty was planning on staying in the trailer with us even though he had only met us once before. So unlike Ty. He's a little shy. But he knew Meg was coming and was interested, so he toughed it out with Sean and I until she arrived late that night. Several times that weekend, Meg and Ty would be found walking together talking and laughing, and we knew it was a match made in heaven. And now, nearly a year later, they are making plans to spend their lives together. We couldn't be happier.

What's this I found?

What a strange piece of laundry. This basket is G's latest mode of transport from upstairs to downstairs. Despite the look on her face, she really does love it.

Self Portrait Tuesday

I'm trying something new. I found a website where each week she gives you a theme for a self portrait. This week was "Cinco de Mayo", and was pretty much whatever you are grateful for. the catch is that it has to be smaller than a deck of cards. This is what I decided on. My mouse. I'm very grateful for this little guy. Because of it, I feel like I have connected with family that is far away and I would probably never know otherwise, I have discovered many ways to organize my home, parent my children, survive pregnancy, whiten whites, heal cracked heels; I've found a dog groomer, a skin care specialist, and many many other services and people whom I feel have made life easier for me. So many times we hear how the internet can be so evil and bring horrible things into our homes, and yet I feel it has made my home a better, more organized, calmer, cleaner place to be. So thank you little mouse, you are wonderful.


Have you ever tried to take a picture with your left hand? Tricky.

Pretty food

"Little" baby Gracie. She is 3 weeks younger than Gretta, and she weighs a pound more. She's the meatball, and Gretta is the Noodle.




Chicken and Sirloin Strip shishkabobs. Is that even how you spell it? I'm not versed in my East Indian cuisine.

This last week I spent time in Las Vegas visiting my sister. They blessed their new baby, Gracie, yesterday. It was a crazy, fun filled week with lots and lots of family coming and going. But amidst all the chaos, (not the FlyLady kind of CHAOS), we managed to make this yummy dinner. I was kind of struck by the beauty of the bright colors against her dark counter tops. And let me tell you, it tasted as good as it looks. Vegas was fun, as always, and we are never at a loss for entertainment. Between the pool, play ground, and HUGE sandbox, the 10 kids were always entertained. The boys all went to the Super cross, while the men went golfing. That means Sean and my dad went golfing, while the other guys went to the races. The girls all enjoyed a nice dinner at Cheesecake Factory in Summerlin, where I enjoyed the Chicken Madeira and a yummy Lemon Torte. All in all, it was a great weekend, and it's always good to see family. Now if only they read my blog......

Soy Joy

I've done it. I've crossed over. It may be my old age, or just giving in to a "healthy" lifestyle, but it has happened. And there's a story.

Friday afternoon. Nice afternoon, breezy, cool, but not cold. Just right. So Sean and I decide to take advantage and get a babysitter for the afternoon and go house hunting. Mostly just for ideas, by the way. We also make plans to meet friends and family for dinner later. It is shaping up to be a fine afternoon/evening.

We head north to Fruit Heights. There is a model there we want to look at. Now, anyone who has ever driven North through Salt Lake at 4:00 PM knows how bad traffic can get. It was worse. We pass through the Murray area, and it hits. The pain. The gurgle gurgle. I knew I was in trouble. We make a pit stop in Bountiful. Better, but a few minutes back in traffic and it starts again. We take a detour off the freeway, and get stuck in more traffic. By this time I was pretty miserable. We decide to nix the house idea, and just head home before our dinner plans. Well, south bound traffic is at a standstill. Even in the carpool lane. About now I was vocally expressing my pain. Okay, I was groaning and moaning. And I knew exactly why I was in so much pain. I had eaten ice cream earlier that day.

Now, while I was pregnant, I became a little lactose intolerant. I figured it would subside after delivery like most other ailments (ie heartburn), but it hasn't. I knew better than to eat ice cream, but it just sounded so good. I gave in.

So here we are, stuck in traffic at 5300 south, and no way to get off the freeway. I was laughing at the situation. I was also eying the Big Gulp cup in the cup holder. I wasn't that desperate, but I was planning ahead just in case. I also knew dinner was out of the question for that evening. So our plans were ruined. We finally arrived home, and just in time, I might add. The babysitter went on her merry way, and we had cereal for dinner. It was a very troubling experience, and I decided I didn't want to go through that again.

I've been putting off trying anything Soy. I'll admit, I'm scared. I don't like new foods. I like my comfort foods. I'm scared that it will taste horrible, and somehow ruin my taste buds so they will never taste anything the same again. Or maybe I'm afraid the Soy fairies will jump out of the carton and pull out my tongue. I don't know why, I just am. But last night I got up the courage, and poured a bowl of Count Chocula with Soy milk. And what do you know, I survived. It wasn't too bad. It does taste different, but not at all what I thought it would taste like.

Nearly everyone I know drinks Soy milk. Even my mom. She likes the Chocolate Silk. Ty likes Rice Dream. Meg likes 8th Continent. So I guess I'm just part of the crowd now. I don't know if I could drink it straight just yet, but in cereal it was fine. I hear it's an acquired taste at first and once you start drinking it regularly, cow milk tastes weird. Maybe I'm growing up. Maybe I'm old. But I'm doing something new, and I survived.

Outside Day!

Yesterday was such a nice day here, we couldn't let it pass by without enjoying the warm weather. I had all the windows open during the day, but when Sean came home from work, our house was 76 degrees! Anyone that knows me at all knows that I start getting really annoyed when my house gets over 68. You can imagine my mood! So thankfully Sean turned on the A/C for me, and I was blissfully chilly all night. But here are a few pics of the kiddies outside enjoying the evening.





Gretta enjoying her first time outside on the grass






My 2 babies. Aren't they cute? I swear, Maggie looks so sweet and innocent in pictures. What you don't see is that in exactly 13 seconds from this shot, she peed her pants, put them in the dryer, and turned it on. What a nice girl.






Emma playing Nintendo DS. Thanks to Nunn for letting us borrow it. Emma has this habit of getting so excited about things that she'll wake up at the crack of dawn, or earlier, just to get the day started. I think she's been up at 5 AM the last 3 days because she's so excited to play Dogz on the DS.

Have you ever...

Totally lost it and screamed at your kids?

Taken a 3 hour nap and then slept for 10 hours that night?

Been pretty sure your head will explode from the sinus pressure?




I did all of these yesterday. Not a good day.

I'm better today, thanks for asking.

Lava Hot Springs

This weekend we spent some time up at Lava Hot Springs in Idaho. We went to support Meg's boyfriend, Ty, who had a road bike race in Inkom. We had a good time, as always. The weather was chilly and it sprinkled off and on most of Saturday, but nothing too major. Ty took 3rd in his race, and then we went to the famous Hot Springs in Lava. The girls had a lot of fun in the warm water, and Sean and I even went back later that night while Meg and Ty watched the kiddies. Any time we can take the Trailer and have Meg and Ty along is a great time.

Wow, I think I've fallen in love with Firefox. I can finally do a link, edit fonts, and colors. Now I can even do bold and italics! Yippee!!! Be prepared to see some serious colorful blog action!

Tiny Bubbles

I heard the other day that Don Ho died. I didn't know who he was at first, but then Mom started singing "Tiny Bubbles". Of course I knew who he was after that. So in remembrance of the late Don Ho, here are the tiny bubbles, courtesy of Maggie.

Speaking of...

Well, Maggie had her speech therapy assessment today. We have been a little concerned with her pronunciation, and less so, her stuttering. Turns out all is well. She is at 60% of normal for her age. Not great, but we knew she was lacking a little. The Speech Pathologist will only refer kids for more therapy if they are at 50% or less. Surprisingly, when the Pathologist would have Maggie focus on her sounds, she could actually make most of them. That gives me hope. I'm sure she'll catch up, but we will have her assessed again in 3 to 6 months, just to make sure.

Happy Easter

Finally! The table is in and ready to go. Just in time for Gretta's blessing day feast. We had a great time. Sean gave her a beautiful blessing, and it was nice to have so much family gather for the occasion. Rumbi's catered the feast, and it was delish, as always. Gretta did great and was nice and quiet both during her blessing and afterward at home. I think everyone had a good time.




All the kiddies lining up for the Easter egg hunt at Nunn and Poppa's. From left to right: McKinley, Olivia, Eli, Gabe, Madison (in back), Emma, Carter, and Maggie. Whew. Hard to believe next Easter we'll have 2 more girls running around!








Here it is. The famed table. It is huge. We have 6 chairs around it now, but there is easily room for 2 more. It's nice to have extra room for guests and not have to squish. Notice the centerpiece and runner, courtesy of Sean.






Sean and Gretta, pre-blessing. Aren't they darling?

Picture day

Well, we did our Easter pics today, courtesy of Aunt Jill. She has real professional photo potential. Gretta's blessing day is today, and we, (and by we, I mean Sean), have been working our little tails off getting ready. He has repainted the yellow, (as previously blogged), finished the computer table, moved the computer over and ported all my info from my old puter to the new one, installed an external hard drive, finished the flower beds in the back yard, and, drum roll please, FINISHED THE DINING ROOM TABLE!!! Wow, who knew he had it in him? He has been up working non stop since monday doing paint coats and lacquer coats. He's a real champ. It is now midnight, and he is getting ready to mop the floors, whilst I sit and blog about it. Ah, the good life. Oh, he also bought 3 new bar stools, a huge basket for the table centerpiece, a table runner, and a new computer chair. He was totally getting his gay on at at Down To Earth. I think he just likes that the girls flirt with him. But more than all the projects he has finished, he has one more task at hand. He gets to give Gretta a special blessing. And knowing that he will be doing that makes me count my blessings as well.

It's a very Good Friday

I've lost it. My brain has officially been fried by baby-brain-sucker number 3. I called my mom this morning at home. My sister from Las Vegas, Jill, answered. When she told me mom was at the office, I said, "Why is she working on a Saturday?". It feels like Saturday since Sean is off work for Good Friday, and is doing Saturday-like projects like filling in the flower beds with dirt, and golfing. So now I plan on telling everyone I see to have a good Saturday.

Before and after

Before.













After




Can you even tell a difference? There is one, really. We had this horrible Lemony Yellow color that I swear to this day was mixed wrong, because I would have never picked such a yucky color in my right mind. Finally, two years later, we, (meaning Sean), fixed it with the correct color. A more mustardy, baby poop colored yellow. I actually love it. Maybe I love baby poop. Weird. Either way, Sean impressed me yet again with his painting perfectionism whilst Meg and I went on a lovely 15 mile bike ride to enjoy Saturday's pleasant weather. Next on the docket: The TABLE!!! Now if we, (again meaning Sean), could just get that one done in time for Sunday's blessed event.

2 Months

Wow, the last 2 months have flown by! Hard to believe that 2 months ago I was still pregnant, and in two months from now it will be Memorial day, and the pool will be open! Yippee!!!

Gretta is weighing in at a hefty 8 pounds, 15 ounces, and measuring 21 inches in length. My little Sumo. She's still so skinny and little, it's cute. She got her 3 shots, and a Polio "drink", and is still holding a grudge. Poor little girl.

Vacation Fun!

This is Gretta and her newest cousin Gracie. They were born just 3 weeks apart, both being 3 weeks early. Gretta has the green binkie. My sister lives in Vegas, and we went down a couple of weeks ago to see her and see the baby. Both girls make the same squeeks and grunts, and their cries are so similar, we had a hard time telling them apart!





Here is Emma mid backflip courtesy of dad's big muscles. She is quite the flipping pro, thanks to endless summers spent in our pool. This pool is in St. George, and even though it was in the 70's that weekend, it was still covered with a huge bubble. The kids thought that was pretty neat.





Maggie and "Aunt Mimi". Meg is our eternal vacation companion. It just doesn't seem right to travel without her. I think she's been just about everywhere with us whenever the trailer is involved. In fact, I can only think of one vacation without her, and that was our very first trip 2 years ago! That is what sisters are for!

Soccer Summer

Maggie having a close up moment at the soccer practice











Emma juggling the ball like a pro. Thanks to Spencer, she knows exactly how to do it.











Poor, poor Gretta. I think this picture obviously captures that fact that she is sick of having a camera in her face everyday.


Well, Thursday marked the beginning of soccer for Emma. This is the first year she has played, and is very excited. She keeps telling me she needs a Bowflex to get in shape for soccer. Think advertising works, or what? At the end of soccer practice, they have the parents play against the girls. We won, and now the kids all have to do one chore for their parents. I think that's a great way to get the kids motivated to play their best. The first official game is next Tuesday, the 27th. I'm anxious to see how the other teams measure up.

$3.00 a gallon for gas? Not here!

We get our gas for free! Well, Gretta does, anyway. She has got to be the gassiest baby ever. But it makes for cheap entertainment.

It's all good

Well, I have officially made it to 6 weeks postpartum. Yay for me. And according to my awesome OB, it's all good. I guess Sean is out of the desert now, and I can commence a regular exercise program. Yay for me again. I really hate exercising, but it is a fact of life. I have a friend that teaches Ballet for Adults. Sounds kinda fun. I would say "Adult Ballet", but that sounds kind of X rated. Ha ha ha. I may give it a try. And to comemerate the 6 weeks mark, Gretta celebrated by sleeping through the night! Yay for her. 10 PM to 4:30 AM. That is through the night enough for me. And she went back to sleep til 7. Not too bad. It seems we are getting on some semblance of a schedule.

My beautiful baby

Here are the latest and greatest. I'm thinking one of these will make a good birth announcement photo, but I need some input. Keep in mind they can all be made into black and white, Sepia, or Antique.

Thanks, Aunt Kik!

Valentines day sucks.

Okay, not really, but I have never been a fan. I don't need a day set aside to remind me that I love Sean. And he concurs. But, alas, we have to conform to the marketing beast. A card and a hug will suffice. But I'm doing a list of things I love, and hate, at this particular moment in time to pay homage to Valentines day.

Things I'm loving:

1. Strawberry Ice Cream
2. White Cherry Blossom Bubble Bath
3. Game Show Network and Vintage Game Shows
4. My Nice Warm Bed
5. Sleep

Things I'm hating:

1. Milk Flakes When You Open the Milk Lid
2. Headaches
3. Cold Weather
4. Rude People
5. 3 Year Old Attitude

My new toys

Funny how when I told Sean our washer was on the fritz, he thought it would be fine for a few more years. And yet, when for the last month he had to take over the laundry duty, he suddenly gets the itch to buy a new one. And of course the dryer to match. Either way, I got the ones I wanted, regardless of how it came to be.

Do I have a story for you.

Here's Emma and Maggie at the hospital on the day we brought Gretta home. What a wonderful day it is, bringing home a new baby. They're so sweet and vulnerable. Well, notice in the picture that both big sisters are looking a little pale. I should have known to stay an extra night in the hospital. The paleness should have been a dead give away for what was awaiting me that fateful night.

Here I am, a new mom for the third time, two days post op, and battling a particularly heinous bout of the baby blues. As I lay crying in bed at 2 AM, wondering what I was thinking having a third child, and knowing in my heart that I have ruined all our lives by doing so, in walks Emma. Now, Emma is a known early riser, but this was especially early, even for her. She then announces she doesn't feel so well. I ask her if she's gonna throw up, and she says she doesn't think so. I tell her to get her bowl anyway, just in case. About 10 steps around the bed later, and out it comes, all over my bedroom floor. Now I know I've ruined our lives. I burst into tears, just knowing that Emma is going to give Gretta some tropical disease that will kill her, and Sean calmly cleans up the mess. Now in addition to me feeding the baby every hour, and crying constantly, Sean is up emptying the barf bowl every 10 minutes for the rest of the night. At the doctor the next morning, we find out she has Strep. Again. 10th time this year. No kidding. But they assure us that Gretta can't get it, so we both feel better about that.

Skip ahead a few hours to 6 PM that night. Here I find Maggie curled up in a ball on my bedroom floor, cheeks flushed with fever, and shivering. I just knew it. Strep. Sure enough, thanks to late night KidsCare, she has it too. Now I have two kids with strep, a brand new baby that I'm trying to nurture, and me with the baby blues. Thank goodness for Sean, who ran to get prescriptions, Ginger Ale, and various other necessities, who cleans up vomit with no complaint, and who rubs my back while I cry for the next 3 days. I knew I loved him for a reason.

So needless to say, I'm pretty sure that was the absolute worst situation imaginable to come home to, and I don't plan on doing it again any time soon. We've all recovered nicely, and the baby blues have passed. I think we're all to the point now where we can't imagine not having Gretta around, and that's a nice feeling. Not nice enough that I will do it again, but nice nonetheless.

My, how she's grown!

At todays 2 week check up, Gretta weighed in at a hefty 6 pounds, 9 ounces and 19" long. What a porker!









Spencer and Gretta. He drove down from Logan on Saturday just to see her. He got here at noon, and left at 4. A four hour drive just to see his newest niece. What a sweetie.

A week gone by

Well, a week has passed very quickly with our new addition. She is a wonderful little baby. She sleeps a lot, even during the night, and barely cries when she needs something. I'm sure that will change as she gets bigger, but for now I'm enjoying the serenity of a newborn again. Why can't they stay little forever? I'll post more pics when they get uploaded from Sean's camera.

Gretta Holland Clayton

Well baby Gretta has arrived. Now just so you all know this is not Keli it is her other half Sean and it is my first time blogging but I have strict instructions from the 'boss', so here it goes.

Stats=

5 lbs 6 oz

18 1/2 inches long

born at 4:42 PM (MST)

lots of blonde hair....and Grandma Jeanette's ears.

Keli and Gretta are both doing great!

Boil some water, get some clean sheets!

She's coming! 4:00 today. We're heading to the hospital now, so check back for pictures.

Can I just say....

Bed Rest SUCKS! There is no "rest" involved. It is way more stressful to figure out how you're going to get laundry done, the kids dropped off and picked up, the dishes done, the cobwebs swept, and fix breakfast, lunch and dinner for a family, all from the confines of ones couch or bed! Thank heavens Sean has a job that allows him to be flexible. Meanwhile, the blood pressure is stable, but we're hoping for a delivery date sometime next week. This week is just to fatten up the little fetus so she's nice and cute when she arrives.

Moral of this story: Don't be afraid to be VERY proactive with healthcare. Had I not "known" something wasn't right, I would very possibly be endagering my baby by wandering around with BP through the roof! Second opinions save lives, people!

He's baaaack.

Sean finally returned from Chicago. We really missed him. It's funny how you don't appreciate a spouse until they aren't around to do their thing and help out. And he helps out a lot! The girls were very excited to see him, and he brought them cute Teddy Bears as a welcome home gift. These pics are of the Bean in Millenium Park, and of the city from the top of the Sears Tower. I think the big black tower is the Hard Rock Hotel, where he stayed.

Guess what?

I just ate an entire loaf of garlic bread for lunch. And it was delicioso. Now I have a nice garlicky scent to share with Sean when he gets in from Chicago. Ha ha ha. Oh yeah, and our baby will be born on February 12th at 7:30 AM. Although I'm due on the 13th, and my dumb doctor won't schedule me before then, and I'm pretty sure she'll want to be born before that. But as for now, that's her day. Carry on.

Thanks, Phoebers.

My pirate name is:

Dirty Bess Cash

You're the pirate everyone else wants to throw in the ocean -- not to get rid of you, you understand; just to get rid of the smell. You're musical, and you've got a certain style if not flair. You'll do just fine. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

This week....

We've successfully recovered from Christmas and New Year's, and now a new year is well under way. I honestly cannot believe it is 2007. Wow, time flies as you get older. But this has been quite a week to start off this new year. Last Monday night we spent in Labor and Delivery, and nope, no baby, but almost. Gotta love a little preterm labor to get the adrenaline going. One little shot and all is well, at least for another 2 weeks. Emma started back to school (thank goodness!), and poor Maggie was left all alone at home with mom. The first day Emma was gone, Maggie wandered through the house calling her name. It was hilarious. Sean came down with a tragic killer cold (aren't they always worse when the men get them?), but managed to survive it by being in a drug induced coma for 3 days. We went and saw Happily N'Ever After, cute, but kinda weird for my taste. Sean left for Chicago today for the week. He "gets" to attend an expo on packaging and automation. Sounds superfun. He did visit the Sears Tower today, and said it's awesome. As for the girls and I, we plan on spending some relaxing time at home, and maybe getting dinner one of these nights. That's pretty much it for this week, hopefully next week we'll know our EXACT date for delivery. I'm hoping for the 5th, but I would take anything after the 1st, since that's when our insurance changes. Maybe I will just go on the 1st, and not have to wait any longer than absolutely necessary. Wouldn't that be nice.

Happy Anniversary

Nine years of wedded bliss. What more can I say?

Merry Christmas!

We had a great Christmas this year. Emma scored a sweet new Elektra Beach Cruiser, and Maggie got her much wanted Dora Talking Kitchen. It was a great time. I'll post more pics later.

To the North Pole we go

Sean and I have a tradition to help me through the Holidays. You see, I'm not a huge fan of Christmas. I mean, I'm a fan of the birth of Christ and all that, but I struggle to feel the true spirit of the Holiday due to stress and anxiety. So our first year married, we decided to go stay in a Bed and Breakfast a couple of weeks before Christmas, and get all of our shopping done that weekend. It turned out to be a nice idea. We plan what we want to buy for each person, and after a nice evening of dinner out without kids, we hit the shops. Our Credit Card is smoking by the time we're done, but It is such a nice feeling to focus on gifts for one whole weekend, and then the Christmas spirit is more easily felt. So again, we're heading for the "North Pole" as it's come to be called. The girls give us their Christmas lists, and we tell them we take a special road just for grown ups to the the North Pole. We give the lists to Santa, and return the next afternoon, the children none the wiser. Now don't get me wrong, I don't enjoy the fib that is Santa and the North Pole, but I think the kids enjoy the thought of Mom and Dad alone with Santa discussing their wants and needs for the Holiday. It makes them feel very important. And they get to spend the night with Grandma, which is probably more exciting for them. So off we go, to the North Pole. If there are any requests for Santa, be sure and get them in before tomorrow afternoon!